Sunday, December 28, 2008

We seek them out so you don't have to. This is our weekly non-exhaustive round up of upcoming LGBT programmes on the radio and television. Inclusion of a programme is not a recommendation.Enjoy!

Some of the radio programmes listed below can be listened to again via the Listen Again facility of the BBC's website while some of the television programmes will remain available also for a week on the BBC's iplayer.

Please also note that Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour contains a lot of relevant content and is generally LGBT friendly, but a lot of its output is not available to us before we put this on the site. For the latest Woman’s Hour stuff, subscribe to the programme's newsletter here.

Monday 29thBBC Radio 3 - 10.51am: Britten: The Prince of the PagodasBBC Radio 4 - 11am: Together against the Odds. A married couple explain how they stayed together after one of them changed genderBBC Radio 4 - 6.30pm: Just a Minute. Graham Norton guestsClassic FM - 9pm: Paul Gambaccini

Sunday 28thGold - 11.10am: Carry on up the JungleGold - 7pm: Doctor at Sea. Dirk Bogarde becomes a sailor to avoid marriage. I ask youITV1 - 9: Affinity. Two hour adaptation of Sarah Water’s ghostly second novel, set in a woman’s prison. A must see

Friday, December 19, 2008

We seek them out so you don't have to. This is our weekly non-exhaustive round up of upcoming LGBT programmes on the radio and television. Inclusion of a programme is not a recommendation.Enjoy!

Some of the radio programmes listed below can be listened to again via the Listen Again facility of the BBC's website while some of the television programmes will remain available also for a week on the BBC's iplayer.

Please also note that Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour contains a lot of relevant content and is generally LGBT friendly, but a lot of its output is not available to us before we put this on the site. For the latest Woman’s Hour stuff, subscribe to the programme's newsletter here.

Sunday 21stBBC Radio 2 - 2pm: Dale Winton’s Pick of the Pops ’63 and ‘88BBC Radio 3 - 12noon: Christmas Across Europe and Beyond. Includes Britten’s Men of GoodwillBBC Radio 3 - 5pm: Christmas Across Europe and Beyond. Includes Britten’s A Hymn to the Virgin6 Music - 1am: BBC Introducing. Tom Robinson

Monday, December 15, 2008

A European initiative spearheaded by France (currently holding the rotating presidency of the Union) is being discussed by a United Nations General Assembly. The Statement, which would not create new rights and be legally binding, is asking for the decriminalisation of homosexuality and the end of discrimination on the group of gender.

This comes a few days after the celebrations of the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which was signed in 1948.

Louis Georges Tin, the founder of the Inernational Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO), is behind the initiative. It has received the support of 60 countries so far, although the Vatican has spoken against it, saying that it could be used to force countries to recognise same-sex marriage. In the Americas the most notable absence is the United States. Russia and South Africa are also under pressure to sign the statement.

The Ambassador from Gabon will read the statement, probably on Thursday.

Human rights groups have issued action alerts to activists or organisations in "priority" countries that may still be persuaded to back the statement.

More than 80 countries outlaw same-sex relations in all circumstances. The maximum punishments range from a few years jail to life imprisonment. In nine countries, or regions of countries, the mandatory punishment for homosexuality is death.

Statement text:

We have the honour to make this statement on human rights, sexual orientation and gender identity on behalf of […]

1 - We reaffirm the principle of universality of human rights, as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights whose 60th anniversary is celebrated this year, Article 1 of which proclaims that “all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights”;

2 - We reaffirm that everyone is entitled to the enjoyment of human rights without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status, as set out in Article 2 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 2 of the International Covenants on Civil and Political, Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, as well as in article 26 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights;

3 - We reaffirm the principle of non-discrimination which requires that human rights apply equally to every human being regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity;

4 - We are deeply concerned by violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms based on sexual orientation or gender identity;

5 - We are also disturbed that violence, harassment, discrimination, exclusion, stigmatisation and prejudice are directed against persons in all countries in the world because of sexual orientation or gender identity, and that these practices undermine the integrity and dignity of those subjected to these abuses;

6 - We condemn the human rights violations based on sexual orientation or gender identity wherever they occur, in particular the use of the death penalty on this ground, extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, the practice of torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment, arbitrary arrest or detention and deprivation of economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to health;

7 - We recall the statement in 2006 before the Human Rights Council by fifty four countries requesting the President of the Council to provide an opportunity, at an appropriate future session of the Council, for discussing these violations;

8 - We commend the attention paid to these issues by special procedures of the Human Rights Council and treaty bodies and encourage them to continue to integrate consideration of human rights violations based on sexual orientation or gender identity within their relevant mandates;

9 - We welcome the adoption of Resolution AG/RES. 2435 (XXXVIII-O/08) on “Human Rights, Sexual Orientation, and Gender Identity” by the General Assembly of the Organization of American States during its 38th session in 3 June 2008;

10 - We call upon all States and relevant international human rights mechanisms to commit to promote and protect human rights of all persons, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity;

11 - We urge States to take all the necessary measures, in particular legislative or administrative, to ensure that sexual orientation or gender identity may under no circumstances be the basis for criminal penalties, in particular executions, arrests or detention.

12 - We urge States to ensure that human rights violations based on sexual orientation or gender identity are investigated and perpetrators held accountable and brought to justice;

13 - We urge States to ensure adequate protection of human rights defenders, and remove obstacles which prevent them from carrying out their work on issues of human rights and sexual orientation and gender identity.

Saturday, December 13, 2008

We seek them out so you don't have to. This is our weekly non-exhaustive round up of upcoming LGBT programmes on the radio and television. Inclusion of a programme is not a recommendation.Enjoy!

Some of the radio programmes listed below can be listened to again via the Listen Again facility of the BBC's website while some of the television programmes will remain available also for a week on the BBC's iplayer.

Please also note that Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour contains a lot of relevant content and is generally LGBT friendly, but a lot of its output is not available to us before we put this on the site. For the latest Woman’s Hour stuff, subscribe to the programme's newsletter here.

Tuesday 15thBBC Radio 2 - 10.30pm: The Album as Art. Iconic album covers, including Bowie etc.BBC Radio 2 - 11.30: The Class of 2008. New series presented by Paul Gambaccini. Duffy and Teddy Thompson featureBBC Radio 4 - 4.30pm: Great Lives. Matthew Parris presents a biog of Billy MarshBBC Radio 7 - 7.pm: The Navy Lark

Thursday 17thBBC Radio 3 - 7pm: Performance of the Week. Includes Britten’s A Ceremony of Carols, which he wrote on board a cruise liner returning from America, after the authorities confiscated his original score, lest it were in a secret code.

Friday, December 12, 2008

A new exhibition opened this week at the Royal Academy as part of the GSK Contemporary Season. Burroughs Live marks the mid point between the tenth anniversary of William Burroughs’ death and the fiftieth anniversary of the first publication of his best known novel Naked Lunch. By means of film and video footage of Burroughs performing his works to camera alongside portraits of him by photographers, Robert Mapplethorpe, Annie Leibovitz, Ira Cohen and his self portraits and artworks, the presence of Burroughs is evoked.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

On 3 December, John Barrett, the Liberal Democrat MP for Edinburgh West, presented the following Early Day Motion to the House of Commons.

That this House notes that 2008 marks the 30 year anniversary of the assassination of San Francisco Supervisor and gay rights campaigner Harvey Milk; recognises the profound impact that Harvey Milk had on socio-political life in the 1970s as the first openly gay man elected to any substantial political office anywhere in the world; notes that following his tragic death there have been continual calls for the removal of barriers facing homosexuals in society; and calls on the Government to continue to promote equality for all regardless of sexual orientation.

Early day motions (EDMs) are formal motions submitted for debate in the House of Commons. However, very few EDMs are actually debated. Instead, they are used for reasons such as publicising the views of individual MPs, drawing attention to specific events or campaigns, and demonstrating the extent of parliamentary support for a particular cause or point of view.

An MP can add their signature to an EDM to show their support. In this case, Lynne Jones, Labour MP for Birmingham Selly Oak and Sandra Gidley, Liberal Democrat MP for Romsey showed their support by adding their signatures.

Monday, December 8, 2008

The House of Homosexual Culture celebrates Quentin Crisp’s 100th birthday with a mixture of talks, discussion, performance and dressing up.

Christmas Day 2008 marks the centenary of Quentin Crisp’s birth, and the House of Homosexual Culture is celebrating with a special Queen’s Telegram on the occasion of his 100th birthday. Hear from the people who knew him and worked with him, including Crisp's biographers Paul Bailey and Andrew Barrow, who examine Crisp’s flair for self-invention, and provide a critical insight into his status as a writer and Adrian Goycoolea, Crisp's great nephew, who talks about his relationship with his family.

Bette Bourne performs an extract from the one-man show Resident Alien, which is based on Crisp's writings, and there is an exclusive viewing of extracts from the new ITV drama An Englishman in New York, starring John Hurt.

And as it’s nearly Christmas, there's a Quentin Lookalike Competition, so get imaginative with your costumes and win a special Christmas prize.

Saturday, December 6, 2008

We seek them out so you don't have to. This is our weekly non-exhaustive round up of upcoming LGBT programmes on the radio and television. Inclusion of a programme is not a recommendation.Enjoy!

Some of the radio programmes listed below can be listened to again via the Listen Again facility of the BBC's website while some of the television programmes will remain available also for a week on the BBC's iplayer.

Please also note that Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour contains a lot of relevant content and is generally LGBT friendly, but a lot of its output is not available to us before we put this on the site. For the latest Woman’s Hour stuff, subscribe to the programme's newsletter here.

Tuesday 8thBBC Radio 2 - 10.30 Human Rights Now! Annie Lennox assesses the role of Amnesty International on the eve of the 6oth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human RightsBBC Radio 3 - 8am: Tchaikovsky: Swan LakeBBC Radio 3 -2pm: Chopin Piano Sonata No 3 in B MinorBBC Radio 4 - 11am: I was Ernest Hemingway’s La Secreteria. Story of Valerie Danby Smith, who was just thatBBC Radio 4 - 4.30pm: Great Lives. Matthew Parris presents a new series. Luciano PavarottiBBC Radio 7 - 7.pm: The Navy Lark

Eddie Mair tells the story of Lionel Bart, a sensitive, talented and troubled artist through interviews with those who knew him intimately.

Lionel Bart was at one time the wunderkind of British musical theatre who reached dazzling heights of fame in the early 1960s with Britain’s most successful post-war musical – Oliver!. But, his tumultuous life went from triumph to disaster as he lost control of his fortune and his health seriously declined.

Eddie Mair takes to the streets of Whitechapel to hear the story of this impoverished son of a tailor who always maintained that without his Hebraic, left-wing, wartime upbringing there would have been no musicals. " Ollver! was a strange marriage of the Jewish music of my bar mitzvah, and the street cries of my childhood ." Lionel later observed, "Fagin’s music was a Jewish mother clucking away."

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Tuesday's radio 4 drama: The Babington Plot examines the doomed attempt to assassinate Queen Elizabeth I and restore a catholic monarchy.

The write-up says: At the centre of the story is the relationship between the "reluctant terrorist" Anthony Babington, whose youthful idealism was not matched by the required conviction, and his co-conspirator, Robert Poley, who persistently encouraged him and became his lover – but was, in fact, a government spy leading Babington to the gallows.

Through the eyes of witnesses, listeners can hear the tragic ambiguity of this relationship as it heads towards its final betrayal.Furthermore, another conspirator, Thomas Salisbury, is played by Simon Barnett (the older Simon Doonan in Beautiful People).

The Babington Plot, which was aired on Radio 4 at 2.15pm, is available until 9 December on iPlayer here.

A couple of gay penguins in the Polarland Park in Harbin, north east China have been separated from the rest of their colony after they were found replacing the eggs of straight couples and steal them with the aim of hatching them themselves.

"One of the responsibilities of being a male adult is looking after the eggs. Despite this being a biological impossibility for this couple, the natural desire is still there," explained a keeper.

"It's not discrimination. We have to fence them separately, otherwise the whole group will be disturbed during hatching time," they added.

Disclaimer

This blog aims to provide information, which is relevant, and as up-to-date and accurate as possible. Inclusion of an item in these pages does not constitute a recommendation from LGBT History Month for external services/events thus advertised.

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